The University of Copenhagen (KU) has unveiled its first bust of a woman, honoring professor emerita Eva Smith. The sculpture, located in front of the Faculty of Law, depicts Smith, Denmark’s first female law professor.

Smith, who is about to turn 83, attended the unveiling of the bust, which was created by sculptor Gudrun Steen-Andersen.

Dean of the Faculty of Law, Jacob Graff Nielsen, emphasized Smith’s significant impact on Danish jurisprudence in his speech. He noted that Smith has influenced generations of lawyers by emphasizing the importance of law being connected to reality.

Nielsen added that Smith has consistently voiced clear opinions on important legal matters with both wisdom and heart.

Even after her retirement, Smith has remained active in public discourse. In June, she criticized the government’s refugee policy concerning Gaza in an op-ed.

Throughout her career, Smith has held various prominent positions, including chairman of the Crime Prevention Council and member of the Judicial Council, the Police Commission, and the Ministry of Justice’s Criminal Justice Committee. She also served as a temporary judge at the Eastern High Court.

KU’s main building houses six other busts, all depicting men. In 2017, an abstract sculpture was erected to honor seismologist Inge Lehmann, marking another instance of recognizing a woman at the university, although not in the form of a bust.